Nigerians Attack Buhari’s Minister for calling returned ‘Abacha Loot’ as ‘Assets’

Nigerians have attacked the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, on social media, especially on Twitter and Facebook for describing the just-repatriated $311m looted by the late Head of State, Gen Sani Abacha, as “Abacha assets”.

The minister’s tweet announcing the repatriation of the money from the United States and Bailiwick of Jersey on his timeline at 6.32pm on Monday garnered about 1,000 comments as of 3.26pm on Tuesday.

Most of the commentators, including the publisher of Sahara Reporters and convener of the #RevolutionNow protests, Omoyele Sowore, were furious about what they considered as improper labelling of the recovered loot.

Malami’s tweet through his Twitter handle, @MalamiSan, read, “I am happy to confirm that the Federal Republic of Nigeria on  4th May, 2020 received $311,797,866.11 of the Abacha assets repatriated from the United States and the Bailiwick of Jersey.”

The tweet came a few hours after his Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Dr Umar Gwandu, issued a statement in which the repatriated fund was also referred to as “Abacha assets”.

In a six-paragraph statement released by Gwandu on February 2 announcing Malami’s trip to the US to represent Nigeria in the signing of the tripartite agreement between the governments of Nigeria, the US and Bailiwick of Jersey for the repatriation of the fund, there was no mention of Abacha’s name in the statement as the fund was repeatedly referred to as “looted assets”.

And many have taken to Twitter to express their displeasure at the minister’s tweet, see it as tallying with the view held by the President, Muhammadu Buhari, who has often justified his working as the head of the Petroleum Trust Fund under the Abacha regime.

Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, in 2018 urged Buhari, who rode to power in 2015 on the promise to fight corruption headlong, to desist from praising Abacha.

Tweeting through his handle, @YeleSowore, Sowore said, “Attorney General Abubakar Malami, woke up one day, labelled Nigerian wealth looted by the late Gen. Sani Abacha “Abacha assets” and people think he is stupid. He knows exactly what he’s doing. Just telling you all that we are just warehousing these assets for Abachas.  #RevolutionNow.”

 Another Twitter user tweeting via @ayemojubar, stated, “This statement has been written in the sands of time and engraved on the granite of eternity, and each time people mention Abacha now or in future, you’ll always be remembered for tagging stolen money “Abacha assets”.

 Another tweet via @adegokegalaxy, stated, “I commend your efforts at repatriating the money. It will be very useful in the present economic challenge. Kudos Sir.

“However, Abacha assets, Sir, may not be the best choice of words. You may want to discuss with experts in finance and control.”

Another statement by a presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, late Tuesday described the loot as “return of the Abacha stolen millions from the United States and Jersey”.

And Sowore, who noted that the “appropriate” labelling by Shehu followed the pressure mounted by Nigerians on social media, acknowledged the presidential spokesman’s statement in a later tweet, He said, “Why we must not relent, now they’ve appropriately labelled it ‘Abacha Stolen Millions’ but ensure the new thieves don’t steal the loot! #RevolutionNow.”

Lere Olayinka, Fayose aide, tweet “Note The KEY WORDS… Abacha Assets, not Abacha loots. Even now, Buhari and his 53 thieves are still defending Abacha. Yet, you will come here and say Buhari has integrity abi? It is either a fooling fool or fool is fooling you.

Babatunde Olalere Gbadamosi @BOGbadamosi, “Abacha “assets” or Abacha LOOT? Call it what it is, or tell us how that money became his “assets”!

On Facebook

@Oluwakemi Lambo Layeni, “It is just unfortunate. All these money that Are being released or being given to the Nigerian government to fight Co – 19. Every Nigerians suppose to enjoy 24/7 electricity, good roads, jobs creations, security, good hospital care. God tell King Pharaoh in the Bible Let my people go. King Pharaoh did not listen. We all knows what happened to king Pharaoh”.

@Olaiya Oladele, “Let me thanks the former chief of staff Abba Kyari for good deeds he deed for Nigerian, as soon as he got to heaven he asked Abacha to call American president to give part of his assets to Nigeria because Nigerian is presently facing covid 19”

@Ukwueze Okechukwu “see this odee! is it an asset or loot? tribalism, ethnicity and religion has finished this country….. if not that it’s in the public domain, this man would have quietly returned this money to his brother”.

@Dele Sonibare “His assets should be given to his family. This government self…international Thief Thieves!”

@Oke Eniola Coker, Since they are Abacha’s assets, give them to his family! If it is not, then call it the proper name :loot! Enough of the lies Malami”.

@Sunday Ajayi “Is it Abacha assets or Abacha loot? Don’t be stupid, do you think all of us are mumu like you? When you say Abacha assets it means something he acquired legitimately. Did he acquire the said dollars legitimately? No. Abacha was a robber full stop. Stop twisting English”.

@Chuks Ochei, This country is finished. This northerners think they will keep holding us down as one country call Nigeria? They have been dragging Deziani but refuse that Abacha stool. Foolish Buhari”.

Asked by our correspondent on the telephone on Tuesday if the reference to the “Abacha loot” as “Abacha assets” was a matter of policy, Gwandu said, “You an intelligent person yourself, you can decided whether it was deliberate or not.”

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